Why upgrading your CMS might not be the answer

Whether you’re looking to clean up your content or restructure your website, upgrading your CMS might seem like the easy answer to overhauling your digital experiences. But before you sign up for a new upgrade, pause and ask yourself some of these questions:

What did we try to accomplish with the solution?

Have we succeeded?

How have our needs changed?

How can we make sure the CMS catches up?

Depending on your answers, you might need more than a simple upgrade. So in this post we’ll help you decide whether upgrading your CMS really is the answer you’re looking for.

Changing requirements

A CMS upgrade might seem like a quick fix for your content woes, but this isn’t always the case. If your requirements have changed in the past few years (for example, if you have a new website, new content, or new strategy), then your old CMS vendor might not be right for you – even with an all-bells-and-whistles upgrade. Below we’ve pulled together some of the most important things to consider when assessing your CMS strategy.

Quality

Is your content in need of a quick tidy up, or a full-blown deep clean? If it’s the latter, upgrading your CMS might not cut it. Instead, starting from scratch will help you completely redevelop your website and your digital experiences, giving your brand a shake-up in the process. And it’s not just about the way your site looks. The latest content management systems often have more efficient coding, helping create a more responsive and faster running site.

Costs

If you think that upgrading a legacy CMS will always be cheaper than buying a new one, think again. Imagine buying a new car. At first it probably seems like better value to buy an old one, but after all you’ve paid out a fortune to maintain it, you might be left wondering why you didn’t just invest in the new model. It’s often the same with your CMS. The costs involved in constantly upgrading and tweaking your current system can soon add up, making it more economical to start from scratch with a new and efficient platform.

Security

Security should be at the top of your priority list when it comes to reviewing your CMS, but if it’s not up to scratch, what can you do about it? In many cases, a simple upgrade just isn’t enough. Even if you try to patch up your security, eagle-eyed hackers will be able to find any weak points in obsolete software, putting your data – and that of your customers – at risk. To avoid any harm to your online credibility, look for new systems that put a big focus on security.

However committed you are to your old vendor, it’s always important to pause and review your strategy – not only in regards to your CMS, but your business as a whole. Figuring out your priorities when it comes to quality, content and security can help you work out whether you need an upgrade, or an entire overhaul of your current CMS.